I leave my political future in the hands of the Central Executive Committee and the party membership

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Media Statement
by Lim Kit Siang 

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The Central Executive Committee, which meets for the second time after the general election on Sunday, would have the opportunity to consider his insistence that Sdr. Karpal Singh and I resign from all party posts to take responsibility for the DAP’s catastrophic election performance as a result of DAP’s co-operation with PAS in Barisan Alternatif.

I want to thank supporters and well-wishers who have written in after Fan’s public call to express their concern and support. A medical specialist  has today faxed this letter  to Karpal and me:
 

"Amidst calls for resignation from a few quarters, including that of Fan Yew Teng,  my good friend, please note that very many Malaysians do not hold this view.  Both of you have worked and fought hard both inside and outside Parliament for democracy in Malaysia and Malaysians know it and greatly respect you for it. Your courage has inspired many of us. Your leadership qualities are exemplary.  Sure, mistakes have been made but the bottom line is that you meant well. The battle was lost but not the war, and this is one war that despite the recent loss, you are actually winning.  The war will be won.  It is a matter of time.  This letter is to tell you that we Malaysians quietly value your past, present and future contributions. By all means, nurture  the next generation of DAP leaders, but at this time of crisis, your continued leadership is vital and essential. Defeat will be turned into victory. Mistakes can be analysed and rectified."

I thank all for their continuing support and concern, but I leave my political future in the hands of the CEC and the party membership.  I reiterate that I will not cling to any party position if the CEC or the party rank and file agrees with Fan that I should relinquish all party posts.

Fan is entitled to his view that I should resign for the DAP’s catastrophic election result as a result of the great mistake made by the DAP in co-operating with PAS in the Barisan Alternatif.

In any event, I want to thank Fan for his hard word for the party in the past 15 months since his return to DAP in August last year.  He should know,  in view of his earlier DAP days from 1969-1976, that DAP leaders do not regard  politics as a "political burlesque".

He knows that I have always regarded politics with total seriousness.  This was why when I met Fan in Cambridge in 1976, who was then still in the party but had stayed away from the country while going through the travail of a long sedition trial involving his disqualification as Member of Parliament, I urged him to return to Malaysia to continue with the DAP political struggle for an united, just and democratic Malaysia.

Fan told me that he had lost confidence in the constitutional struggle in Malaysia  and that politics is not like selling ice-cream which could be done without any commitment.

I said that if he really believed that the constitutional struggle is a dead-end for the DAP and that the party must consider other options, I would convene a party congress for him to convince the party leadership and rank-and-file.  Fan did not take up the offer.

I do not have to give other examples of the seriousness with which DAP leaders commit ourselves to the political advancement of the people and nation.

(10/12/99)